US Millennials take to wine

Young professional Americans in the Millennial generation are taking a real interest in wine, according to a leading US wine producer.

John Terlato, vice chairman of Terlato Wines, was talking to Drinks International on a recent visit to the UK.

The 52-year-old son of founder Anthony Terlato, said: “The Millennials are far more interested in wine (than previous generations). They are not necessarily more affluent or more educated but they are eating well and ordering a great bottle of wine.

“With previous generations such as the Generation X (35 to 45-year-olds) and the Baby Boomers (45 to 65-year-olds), college kids would drink beer. Over the last five, seven years, we have seen wine become part of the Millennials’ lexicon of drinks,” said Terlato.

Asked what wines they are drinking, he said: “Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir is part of their spectrum but also voluptuous Australian reds and Argentinian Malbec.

“They are drinking wine more often and are willing to experiment. They are not exclusively drinking wine but it has become part of their social fabric,” said Terlato.